Do you know where you were Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 20:30? I do. I was in Kruger Park, South Africa eating dinner by candle light celebrating Earth Hour.
Earth Hour began in 2006 when Sidney, Australia switched off their lights for one hour as a gesture of their commitment to our world’s environment. Fast forward seven years and Earth Hour has grown to a global movement with over 7000 cities participating in 152 countries across all seven continents.
Organizers insist that “by switching off your lights for Earth Hour you are acknowledging and celebrating your commitment to do something more for the planet that goes beyond the hour.” So in 2012, Earth Hour launched I Will IF You Will, a platform to incentivize and inspire individuals to share their commitment to the planet. A few examples, as well as my own commitment, are:
- Green School grade 8 will go paperless for the remainder of the year IF 1000 people plant a tree.
- The European Commissioner for the Environment will sing a song in Parliament IF 1000 people stop using their cars for 1 week.
- Nadya will plant 100 baby trees IF 20 shopping centers turn up their air conditioning by 1 degree.
My commitment, I will not water my grass in June, July and August IF 25 people turn out their lights for Earth Hour (Saturday, March 23 at 20:30).
We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to join the AIWC, please visit our website at http://www.aiwcgeneva.org/
Living In Geneva 